Life Skill #501: How to move a houseplant outdoors

March 18, 2014|By Nara Schoenberg, Tribune Newspapers

(Kim Steele, Getty Images)

Most houseplants are outdoor plants at heart.

"They enjoy being taken outside," says Steve Asbell, author of "Plant by Numbers: 50 Houseplant Combinations to Decorate Your Space" (Cool Springs Press). "It gets rid of pests. They like the extra humidity. It just really helps them out and makes them stronger for when you bring them back inside in winter."

Just wait until the weather gets warm enough, and follow these simple guidelines from Asbell, and your plants will thank you.

Difficulty: Easy if your plants are small, medium if you grow indoor trees. Don't be afraid to ask a friend for help.

Follow the 50-degree rule. Many indoor plants can withstand temperatures lower than 50 degrees Fahrenheit, but not all. You can avoid risk and the extra work of bringing your plants in at night by waiting until the nights are consistently above 50 degrees.

Respect the sun. Outdoor light (and shade) is brighter than what plants encounter indoors, so move your plants to a brighter part of the house before bringing them outside; you don't want to scorch them.

For succulents or sun-loving flowering plants, that will mean direct light. Keep a low-light plant such as a pothos in indirect light outside, but make sure it's in a bright room first and slowly start easing it outside during the day.

Remember drainage. If your container doesn't already have drainage holes, it needs them now. You don't want your plant to be flooded when it rains.

Get help if heavy lifting is required. If you're moving a big plant outside, a rolling cart, available at garden centers, can help.

Also consider a human helper; it's more comfortable to move a big container with one person on each side than to go it alone.

Monitor pests. When you bring your plant back inside in fall, look for tiny insect pests such as mealybugs and scale insects. Asbell says he uses a horticultural soap if the problem really gets bad, but normally you can just remove troublemakers with a wet rag. Look for pests under the leaves, or where the leaf meets the stem.